ICS Volunteer Interview: Kelvin, Tanzania

How would you describe the village?
Its different to what I thought it was going to be. There is electricity, there is a water supply, there are lot of people, they have a lot of communications, internet access. Its more of a small town than a village. It was different from what I expected.

What are you going to miss most about the village?
I will miss the company. I will miss my team (Charlie 1). Probably the school, the teachers have been so nice. And the fundi (builder).

How have you found the construction?
I have enjoyed doing a lot of stuff. As long as I’m doing new things I am happy. I have learnt how to make bricks, mix cement, water bricks. So many things. Things that I couldn’t do before that I know now. I have enjoyed it a lot.

Have you enjoyed the lessons? How have the pupils responded?
Yeah I have enjoyed it a lot. Especially hand washing, personal hygiene, food hygiene. The kids know quite a lot, they respond well. I think they welcome the knowledge, they want to learn.

Is there a part of the project that you enjoy that you weren’t really expecting to?
I thought it would be quite difficult to be UK and Tanzanian working together. I never thought we could communicate well and work together but its been good.